Author Archives: The Hook

About The Hook

Husband. Father. Bellman. Author of The Bellman Chronicles. Reader of comic books and observer and chronicler of the human condition. And to my wife's eternal dismay, a mere mortal and non-vampire. I'm often told I look like your uncle, cousin, etc. If I wore a hat, I'd hang it on a hat rack in my home in Niagara Falls, Canada. You can call me The Hook, everyone else does.

The Happiness Report: Shantelle Bisson.

Posted on 2020/04/16

She’s written a damn good how-to tome for parents and humans in general. She owns a freakin’ marina. (That makes her the Canadian Aquama- er, Aquawoman, in my books.) She’s helped to raise three daughters, been part of a successful … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

It Ain’t Easy, But Don’t Worry… Be Happy!

Posted on 2020/03/31

My best friend killed himself because he was sad. It was a sadness that infected his very core; it may have been neurological or psychological, I’ll never know from where it emerged. It’s the same sadness that I see permeating … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | 32 Comments

Self-Quarantine Tips From The Hook.

Posted on 2020/03/14

So the whole world’s gone mad with Corona fever (metaphorically speaking, of course) and you’re in self-imposed quarantine. Now you’re thinking: “So what the hell do I do now, Hook?” I’m glad you asked. ONE)  Sit down and examine your … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 33 Comments

100 Reasons To Not Kill Yourself: #17.

Posted on 2020/03/10

When I was a schoolboy in the Canadian public education system (yes, the same one that produced Justins Bieber and Trudeau, sadly) I wrote a gripping series of  stories about mythological heroes and superheroes of my own creation meeting in … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

100 Reasons To Not Kill Yourself: #18.

Posted on 2020/02/11

You know, while it’s great to have dreams and goals to strive for, to help keep us on the path of life rather than the road to ruin, it occurs to me that sometimes we may reach a point where … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

100 Reasons To Not Kill Yourself: #19.

Posted on 2020/02/07

A horse walks into a bar. The bartender immediately calls the Humane Society while wondering how the horse got the doors open in the first place. Okay, so I may have told that joke incorrectly but there’s an 18% chance … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

100 Reasons To Not Kill Yourself: #20.

Posted on 2020/01/31

I, Robert “The Hook” Hookey, am a people person. I hope you weren’t drinking coffee, or anything else for that  matter, as you read that opening line – because now it’s no doubt all over your phone, screen or tablet. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | Tagged , , , , , | 30 Comments

Blue Monday Can Go Duck Itself!

Posted on 2020/01/20

(I promised my kid I’d curse less. But it’s duckin’ hard.) So anyway, it’s Blue Monday, the name given to a day in January deemed to be the most depressing day of the year. And who do we have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | Tagged , , | 38 Comments

100 Reasons To Not Kill Yourself: #21.

Posted on 2019/12/23

Death is not to be feared. Sure, dying can be quite painful if you don’t experience it while in a coma or within seconds, like if you’re slowly crushed under an overturned oxcart or some other equally slow, painful fate. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

100 Reasons To Not Kill Yourself #22.

Posted on 2019/12/21

I think that even though humanity is pretty much tearing itself to ribbons theses days over impeachment, whether or not Trudeau is a douchebag, and the Peloton commercial, humanity can still agree on three things:  Moving to a new living … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Life | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments